News

The Southwestern College Business Hall of Fame will add two new names Saturday, April 21. Terri (McCorkle) Dalenta and Ron Richardson will join the ranks of other distinguished business leaders in Southwestern College history.

The agenda for the hall of fame induction includes a reception for the inductees at 1:30 p.m. in Deets Library followed by the induction and the presentation of the inductees at 2 p.m. The Business Builder Award will also be presented to Bob Redford, Winfield.

This year’s inductees include:

Ronald Richardson ’83 had expected to go to law school after graduation, but his first job with Dean Witter Reynolds set him on a path to his career in finance. He soon was hired by Merrill Lynch to boost the local branch’s production in equity trading. After Richardson became syndicate coordinator the branch moved into the top 70 offices in the nation. Richardson also became a Certified Financial Planner. He rejoined Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in 2000 and became a portfolio manager in the custom portfolio group in 2005. He was named Oklahoma magazine’s top financial advisor in 2008. In 2009 Richardson formed Vista Investment Partners and is a portfolio manager providing financial planning for private clients and small businesses.

Teresa (Terri) Dalenta ’87 began her career at Aetna in Connecticut in the actuarial leadership development program. After five years in that program, she continued the job rotation theme by working in roles of increasing responsibility in various departments and various insurance companies. Dalenta worked at Aetna Life and Casualty as an actuary and senior investment strategist, at Travelers Insurance Company as vice president product management, and at Safeco Insurance as senior vice president of claims and customer service. She now is the chief risk officer for Allstate’s property and casualty insurance division.

Bob Redford, Winfield, will be presented the Business Builder Award. This award recognizes business leaders who have created jobs, supported community institutions, and through their hard work and civic contributions have made a lasting impression on the local quality of life.

Redford was one of three co-founders of the Walnut Valley Association, a group that in 1972 organized the “National Flat-Picking Championship and Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival.” Later it would become known simply as the Walnut Valley Festival, or to its thousands of devoted fans, Winfield. President of the association for 40 years, Redford has managed the growth of the festival to its current status as one of the most renowned music events in the nation. In 1999 the Walnut Valley Festival was named the “Bluegrass Event of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Redford also had a 25-year career as an agent with Northwestern National Life Insurance, hired in 1960 as the youngest agent in the company. He was selected one of the Outstanding Young Men of Kansas in 1973.

The induction ceremony is a part of Founders Day Weekend at Southwestern Friday through Sunday, April 20-22. Four Southwestern College halls of fame will open their doors to new inductees, and the newly-refurbished Reuter Organ will be dedicated.

For more information, contact Susan Lowe, director of alumni programs, at (620) 229-6334.